Medicine 2024 part 3

[mumsneedwine]

Saw we needed a new thread. Hope revision going well.

My almost 5th year medic child has had (free) insurance with MPS

Enormous congratulations to all the new medics heading off to uni soon! Your dc are amazing and will have a blast

Re insurance - don't worry about it before your dc gets to med school. It will probably all happen as part of the process once they get there. Both my dcs' med schools organised sessions for first year medics to sign up (for free) with various freebies (and pizza) handed out as incentive.

Likewise, things like recommended text books, scrubs and stethoscopes (which proud family often want to give as a gift) - the med school recommended versions are usually available at reduced price via the med soc or uni once they get going.

Enjoy those last few days/weeks of build up to waving them off!

Thanks @Haffdonga , that sounds like great advice! DD is focusing on getting her packing list ready at the moment - accommodation is confirmed and moving-in slot booked, so it’s feeling very real now! Probably the same everywhere, but her uni have all the medics in for an induction week before freshers week, so that seems to be when stethoscopes, insurance etc will be sorted (as well as some brilliant themed nights out!) I’m very excited for her!

They mostly seem to get discount vouchers for stethoscopes, including free engraving. Some provide scrubs, some don't but they are not expensive.
Tops that don't go below the elbow if have early placements.
But as @Haffdonga says, Unis sort them out with everything, usually involving pizza 😊.

Thanks all. Very helpful. Will mention joining BMA to DS.

We are getting things together for DS to start at Birmingham next month (just ordered his stethoscope so now it seems quite real!) but I'm not sure what he will need IT wise. What are your DS/D's taking? He already has a tablet and pen and we're not sure if we should get him a keyboard for that or if he should really have laptop as well?

@randomrandomium I'd get him a keyboard. They seem to type on the PowerPoint slides a lot

Thanks you!

@randomrandomium did the school ask that he buy a stethoscope? Just wondering as we've not received any such request.

Yes, in the welcome letter he got it said to buy a stethoscope and specified which one. We were going to wait because I thought there would be discounts when he started but the letter didn't say that and just talked about shopping around.

They'll get BMA discounts in freshers week. Normally 25% and free engraving

Hi Mumsneedwine, please could you share your views on what do you think about this and how situation could be improved? My son missed UCL medicine offer, remark didn’t helped. He is going to BSMS insurance. He so much wanted to go to UCL and London. We don’t have much knowledge if there is any possibility of transferring to any London Medical School during after intercalation ? Please help.
Many Thanks

@Mumr honestly, no chance. But why does he want to ? BMSM is a fantastic Uni with a brilliant location and a great course. On the beach !
He could intercalate in London for a year if he wants.
I'm a Londoner, love the place, but it's v v expensive, a v different student experience and the hospitals are over run with students.

I am pretty sure in a year this won't even be a discussion (unless someone in the family tries to make him think London is better - it isn't). He's going to be a doctor and in 5/6 years it won't make an ounce of difference.

BSMS would have hands down been my daughter’s first choice, if they’d had the UCAT.

I know ! It's an amazing place.

I wish I could get hold of every human who tries to convince kids that one Uni is better than another for medicine. NO ONE CARES !!

This thread is so cute. I'm a young medic mum so I find it all very sweet. Good luck to you all and your kids ❤️

@mumsneedwine totally! When it came to making a decision on her offers, I just told her to pick the uni she thought have the most fun at.

@Mumr My knowledge might be slightly out of date, but King's certainly used to accept transfers into or after year 3. I have also known students transfer to UCL but they were joining the MBPhD programme, which is 9 years long. However, the number of places is tiny and there could be hundreds of students applying.

As @mumsneedwine says, when it comes to applying for jobs as a doctor (in the UK), it makes no difference whatsoever where you studied. Bear in mind that all UK medical students now take the same final exams, regardless of where they've studied.

BSMS is a lovely medical school and Brighton is a great place to be a student. It also scores much higher for student satisfaction than any London medical schools, with the possible exception of Imperial.

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne no transfers now. Everyone teaches it so differently it would be impossible to make sure you'd covered everything.

It doesn’t matter what med school you go to or what city you train in, it’s the same degree, you have a great time as a student and it is a busy focused course where you rotate on placements way out from the med school.
BSMS is a fantastic med school and he is lucky to be going there. Tell him my DD missed the grades for both firm and insurance and is now on the long road to another cycle of application and resits. She would love to be in his place !!

Apart from St Andrews.

@KielderWater not really a transfer. They kick you out after 3 years 😂

Not any more, I think. I had it in my head they were doing a full degree with the clinical side based in Kirkcaldy.

@Habbibu one strand is community based. Rest kicked out to do clinical elsewhere.

They do for most. But have introduced a community based medical degree including time at Dunfermline, not Kirkcaldy. Edinburgh medical school already use Kirkcaldy for placements,